Love and Battles
by TheRepeat
Summary: Nate, the insecure perfectionist, tries to figure out his life. Black 2/White 2 canon.
1. Battle Subway I

Chapter 1:** Why the Battle Subway is the Most Awesome Thing Ever**

* * *

"So you're a pretty accomplished actor, huh, Nate?" Isabella asked.

"You could say that," I said. "I've acted with Sabrina and Brycen, and they're pretty big-name. I think this'll be my last one, unless they make some more Brycen-Man sequels."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah, well, it's not really by choice. If more movies wanted to hire me, then I'd do 'em. As it is, though…" I shrugged. "The list is clear. Nothing left to do."

Isabella crossed her arms. "Well, that's lame. This was a fun shoot, Nate."

"But what more is there for me to do?" I continued. "I've done horror… robot… sci-fi… fantasy… so many others… and now romance. What more is there, besides more sequels and cash-ins? No, I think I'm done." I grinned. "But an Ace Trainer like you, you have roles ahead of you. You're talented. You chilled me with that last performance."

"Oh, please. You were dead all along, too." Isabella smirked. "But thanks. So, you've acted in… how many movies?"

"Just a sec." I stepped back to let a moviegoer pass by. "Thirty-nine, with this."

"Thirty-nine?! Geez, Nate, I knew you were pretty famous, but that's a _lot."_

"Yeah." I thought for a moment. "I could probably get a new color for my trainer card for all this."

"Well then—which one is your favorite?"

"The one we just left," I said. _"Love and Battles 3."_

"Nooo," Isabella giggled.

"It's true. The ending blindsided me. Plus, that's, well, life, you know? Things don't really make sense, but doesn't it all… give you a good feeling?"

Isabella bobbed her head. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"'Scuse us." A pair of men passed by, carrying large film equipment.

I coughed. "It's kinda crowded here," I said. "What do you say we continue this over some Casteliacones?"

"That sounds—Wait." Isabella frowned. "Are you… asking me out?"

I grinned. "Yeah, I guess so."

"I, ah…" She scratched her head. "Listen, there's no easy way to say this, but…"

My heart fell. "Oh."

"…But I don't really… you're not really my, uh, _type, _you know?"

"Oh." I blinked. _"_…_Oh!"_

She nodded, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah. Sorry. But I will take you up on that cone."

"Y-yeah," I said. "Tonight at seven?"

"Sure. See you there, Nate." Isabella left.

I took a long breath, disappointment etching my every line. After I had my fill of self-pity, I walked down south to Virbank and slid into the Pokémon Center. It was pretty empty in midafternoon, so there wasn't a line for the PC, which was great. Getting recognized is just the worst.

So I checked over each shoulder, signed in, and withdrew my Braviary. I needed some time to think.

Thinking back, I don't remember where I flew. Probably Humilau, at least for a little. That place is relaxing. Undella Town is peaceful in the spring, so I probably took a little break there. Basically, what I _do _remember is that I ended up in Nimbasa.

I'd never beaten the Multi Train before, so I decided to give it a try.

"Would you like to link up with a friend, or go it alone?" the subway man asked.

I frowned at him. "I'm alone, man."

"Very well, we will give you a random ally to battle alongside," he hummed. "Please select your two Pokémon. No legendary or mythical Pokémon allowed. Soul Dew and the move Sky Drop are banned. If you are a Dex Holder, please check your Pokédex here; no unfair advantages allowed."

"Whatever." I shuffled through my bag, picking my Pokémon and Pokédex out. I presented them to him, and after an inspection, he stood up, a stupid, self-pleased grin on his face.

"All is in order! Your ally will meet you on the train. Good luck!"

"Hmph."

As I got on the train, I felt bad for my rudeness. He was just doing his job. He wasn't even being a jerk about it. I was the bad guy.

I scowled. _Stop being so self-absorbed, Nate. Just win some battles. Hopefully my partner isn't incompetent._

"Keep frowning and your face will freeze like that, Nate."

I was taken aback. "Rosa?"

Rosa grinned at me. "Glad you remember me! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, a few weeks at least, maybe months," I said, remembering our double battle in front of the subway. "Thank goodness, a good partner."

"I was thinking the same thing," she said. "Enough talk. We've got a subway to conquer."

"Yeah."

It was… exhilarating. We powered through them, trainer after trainer. She still had her Serperior I had battled alongside back when it was a Servine. I never even found out what her second Pokémon was; her Serperior, and my Braviary, were unstoppable.

A few battles in, we both stood, panting and sweaty, as the last trainer's Boldore fainted.

I glanced sideways at Rosa, grinning. "Yo."

She nodded back. "Yo."

We returned our Pokémon and healed them at the PC. "Next battle, I'll lead with Bulk Up," I began, "so I'll need you to cover me for a turn."

"No prob—Oof!"

The train skidded to a halt. We grabbed onto rails for support.

"Oh," Rosa said. "That was battle seven. Break time before the next train arrives."

"Ah," I said, feeling stupid. "Normally I keep better track."

We disembarked and sat at a bench as we waited for the next train. Rosa gave me a quizzical look. "So you've done other trains?"

"Uh, yeah," I said. "One or two."

"I've gotten to twenty-one on all of them," she said, deadpan. She usually talked like that, even when emotional, seemed like. "And farther on most. I never did well on this one, though. It's way too easy to get matched up with somebody who doesn't know what they're doing."

"I hear you. That's why I've avoided the Multi Train."

"So, whaddya say?" Rosa asked, grinning. "The night's still young. Seven more?"

Seven. _Isabella. _"Sorry," I said. "I've gotta be somewhere by seven o' clock."

"Bummer. Well, I'm not doing this with anyone else. Same time tomorrow?"

"Ah, actually, I'll probably be busy this time tomorrow. A little earlier, maybe?"

Rosa smirked. "Seven?"

"Heh. Like I'll be up that early. Eight."

"I'm down." She offered her hand. "Tomorrow at eight."

I smiled, shaking her hand. "It's a date."

"Sick rhyme." She stood, shouldering her bag. "Train's here."

I ended up back at Pokéstar early, so I waited by the Casteliacone stand, tinkering with my Xtransceiver. No missed calls. Understandable, since nobody was really up to anything anymore. Even Hugh, who used to call me all the time, was always busy in Driftveil, doing… wait. What did Hugh even do? Loiter?

"Hey, Nate."

I snapped awake. "Hey! Hey, Isabella."

She smiled nervously, holding a Casteliacone in each hand. "Sorry about turning you down earlier."

"Pff! That? I just—I already forgot about it." _I hate myself. _"I mean, um. Don't worry about it. Extenuating circumstances, and all."

She giggled. "Hey. I hope we can still be friends. You're fun to talk to." She offered me a Casteliacone of peace. "Hm?"

"Yeah—yeah, definitely." I accepted the gift. "I'll pay you back."

"Darn right you will."

I chuckled.

"There's a hill over on the south side of campus," she said. "Great view of the sunset. We should eat these there."

"Yes," I said emphatically. "…And that is _not _romantic. In any way."

"Nope." She bobbed her head slowly. "Not… at all."

"So I'll lead the way," I said hurriedly.

"Yes! By all means."

So I did. It was _so _awkward. I don't really have to explain why, but geez, every step was painful.

After two or three eternities, we finally got to the hill and sat in the grass, watching the sunset for another eternity or so.

"So, thirty-nine movies, huh?" Isabella icebroke. "And of all of them, was _Love and Battles 3 _really your favorite, or were you just trying to impress me?"

"Oh, it was," I said. "I acted in tons of predictable, two-dimensional movies. It was a lot of fun being the Riolu Kid, but I have to say, I didn't know how _Love and Battles _would end until I saw it in theaters, and that makes it the most memorable."

"But you said you acted alongside Brycen," she said. "He's an accomplished actor. And—And _Sabrina, _even? She's famous internationally!"

"Yeah, well. Stars don't make the movie. Even my own horror outings didn't exactly break records." I wiped some cream from my lip. "What's the deal with Sabrina, anyway? She didn't seem to act much better than, say, the girl from _The Giant Woman._ How'd she get so famous?"

"Probably because she's an active Gym Leader, too," Isabella said. "She's not like Brycen, who retired from Gym Leader-ing… leading? Gym leading?"

"Being a Gym Leader?" I offered.

"That's the ticket. Where was I?"

"Sabrina's in the PWT," I added, ignoring her. "She's in the Kanto Gym Leaders division."

"I've been meaning to follow that," Isabella said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Gym Leaders from all over the world, battling to see who's the best of the best. No monetary prize, only glory. I respect that."

"And we all know Kanto is only famous because of Red and all _his _heroics. But I dunno," I said. "It's just like the Battle Subway, but it's not open to everyone. Except for the local division." I coughed. "Rather, it _seems _just like the subway."

"You've done the Battle Subway?" Isabella asked.

_Nuts. _"Um… yeah. I've been there a couple times."

"What's that like? I've never really been that far from Virbank."

"Well, it's…" I thought for a moment. Rosa popped into mind. "It's just about the most awesome thing ever."

She crossed her arms, surprised. She got a little bit of ice cream on her sleeve by accident. I wanted to tell her about it, but—"Really? That's quite a claim."

"Well, just think about it," I said, my enthusiasm building. "The various trains travel all across the continent. You pick up people from everywhere—Opelucid, Undella, Mistralton, Anville, you name it. You meet all these people, learn about them, battle with them. And then they're gone, and more people are there. You see people at their best, and it just—it makes me happy."

There was a long, poignant pause, giving me plenty of time to critique my whole rant and feel like a horrible person.

"Wow," Isabella said at last. "I had no idea. That sounds wonderful."

"Really? I mean, thanks." I messed with my hair.

"So you like it so much that—"

She was interrupted by loud beeping.

"What on ear—? Oh!" It was my Xtransceiver. "Sorry, Isabella. I'll be quick." I tapped the screen to answer. "Hello?"

A beaming, pink-haired girl popped up on the screen. "Hi! Ahaha!"

I choked on my ice cream. "Y-Yancy?! Hi, hi! How are you?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" she giggled. "How is your evening?"

"Wonderful," I said. "So good to hear from you, Yancy. This is a rare treat."

"I know, and I'm sorry," she said, her face falling. "My work is so time-consuming, though. I hate how rarely we get to talk."

"Yeah, I understand," I said. I noticed Isabella's eyes burning into the side of my head. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Actually, I only have about a minute," Yancy said. "But, but! Tomorrow, I have a whole hour free!"

"An hour? Wow." I kicked myself for jumping to sarcasm by force of habit.

Luckily, Yancy didn't notice. "Yes, a whole hour! I wanted to meet you face-to-face again."

"R-Really? Face to face?" I sat up straight. "Yes, sure, what place, what time, what should I wear?"

She giggled. "Nimbasa City in front of the Ferris wheel, nine o' clock in the morning, and I guess your usual clothes are fine?"

"Yes, yeah, yup, uh-huh!" I took a breath, calming myself. "Sorry, about the rambling, I just, uh… don't… have an excuse. I'll see you then!"

She giggled. "Bye, Nate! Tomorrow at nine. Don't be late!"

_Click._

* * *

_Chapter 2 coming this Saturday at the latest._


	2. Casteliacones

Chapter 2: **Casteliacones: Great Snack, or GREATEST Snack?**

* * *

"Is Unova classist?"

Isabella shook her head in disbelief. _"What?"_

"Well, you've got your School Kids, your Lasses, your Roughnecks… Doesn't it seem like it is defining people? I mean, you look at someone, their hair is blue and tied up in curly ponytails like yours, and the dress too, you just know they're an Ace Trainer. But, you know, there are exceptions. The Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion are all dressed how they want."

Isabella glanced down at her dress, distraught. "This is commonplace…?"

"I'm not dressed in a class either," I continued. "And I've met a few other trainers who don't seem to fit a class. But when people _do_ fit a class, they look exactly like everyone else of that class."

"That's not true," Isabella said indignantly. "None of that. People may identify as a certain class, so they might want to emulate others like them, but everyone's unique. I've met other Ace Trainer girls who all look substantially different from me. _You_ just look at them and classify them in your own head, unable to see the differences because you just don't care." She crossed her arms. "And our hair is _not _always blue! I mean, _mine_ is, but… my point stands!"

I nodded. "You've got a good point there. Still kinda classist, though."

"Not if people get to choose their own class."

"Ah! Yep, you're right. I stand corrected." I stood up, brushing off my pants. "Welp, I'm gonna turn in for—"

"You sit down right now!" Isabella snapped.

_Rats. Almost got away._ "Fine," I said, and sat.

"Who was that girl?" she demanded. "Tell me it was your sister."

I grimaced. "Er… no, that was Yancy, a friend of mine."

Isabella gave me a look. "Friend-friend, girlfriend, crush, what are we talking here?"

I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. "Goodness gracious. And you had the nerve to ask me out while stringing this poor girl along?"

"Wha—? Stringing her along? I was doing no such thing!"

Isabella pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't believe that, do you?"

"Ah…" I looked away. "It's not that I…"

"So a harem, then?" she pried. "What is this, a love triangle?"

"No, no!" I defended. "It's not, but I… maybe I wanted it to be?"

Isabella's mouth hung open. "You're joking."

"I'm afraid not," I said. "It seems a lot worse now that it's out of my head."

"Wow." Isabella faced the horizon, looking disgusted. "Just… wow."

"I'm sorry," I said. "Can I make this up to you?"

"And what—what is _this?" _she demanded, gesturing between the two of us. "Is this, like, are you, like…" She threw her hands up, frustrated. "Ugh! Never mind."

A long, tense pause ensued.

"Uh… want me to get you another Casteliacone?" I ventured.

"No, thanks."

"It's useful for Pokémon," I offered. "Like a Full Heal, but tastier."

"Wait, Casteliacones are Pokémon food?" she asked, surprised.

"Yep," I said. "I think they started out that way. I only found out people could eat them, too, after I started acting here." I shrugged, grinning. "That's where the minty aftertaste comes from."

"That's crazy! I knew Old Gateaux were, but…"

"And Lava Cookies, too."

"What?!" She made a face. "I can never eat another one of those again."

"And Chocolate Mousse."

"No! Are you _serious?!"_

I laughed. "Nope."

"Ugh." She punched me on the shoulder and laughed. "Thank goodness. I freaking love mousse."

"Really? I should buy you some sometime. Where do they sell that?"

She chuckled. "Kalos."

I grimaced. "Eh, maybe some other time, then."

We watched the horizon. The sun was all but gone.

"So you're a Pokémon battler, huh, Nate?" she asked.

"Uh, yep. On the side."

"You're pretty knowledgeable, about items, at least," she said, nodding respectfully. "What kind of Pokémon do you battle with?"

"Oh, you know. My starter was a Tepig, now an Emboar… I have a Braviary… and uh, a few others. You?"

"I don't really battle," she said. "I've always wanted to be an actress, so, I just never really got into it, you know? I don't even have any gym badges."

"Odd, for an Ace Trainer. Battling is kinda that class's _thing."_

Isabella shrugged. "Don't know what to tell you. I've got my mother's Lilligant and my dad's Klang in the PC, but not much else."

"So, training Pokémon has no appeal to you?" I asked skeptically. "Winning battles, earning money? Glory of victory? Seeing the world? Nothing?"

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "No… no, not really. Acting is pretty wonderful to me. Fame is a special thing."

"It's a double-edged sword, though."

"I know that. But what would _you _know, Nate? You've had the perfect career as an actor. Not a single unsuccessful movie, non-intrusive paparazzi, and all the benefits."

"You've got a point." I sighed. "I guess I can't really talk."

She sighed too. "Look, I'm not mad about the love triangle thing. It's really weird, don't get me wrong. But I'll try not to judge you. We're friends, okay?"

I smiled wanly. "Thanks, Isabella."

"But why? Surely you know that sort of thing doesn't work in real life," she said. She squinted. "Wait, did you get the idea from watching television?"

"No! Geez, Isabella, give me some credit!" I huffed.

She chuckled. "Not judging, not judging."

"Ugh." I stood up. "Well, I'm gonna take off. Good night, Isabella."

"Same time tomorrow?" Isabella asked. "Maybe food instead? I can't even look at these anymore, knowing they're health items for Pokémon."

"What are you talking about?" I said indignantly. "Casteliacones are amazing! They're the greatest treat in the world! Even Pokémon can enjoy them since they're medicinal!" I targeted her with a declarative point. "We are _eating _some Casteliacones tomorrow, at this same time!"

She raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, alright," she chuckled. "Get some for Yancy if you love them so much."

I backed off, still staring at her and pointing. "Casteliacoooones," I whispered, and then I turned and left.

* * *

Slept pretty well that night. Woke up a little sniffly, but hey, it was February, that tends to happen. I was fine by the time I walked into the Battle Subway.

"Hey, sleepyhead," was Rosa's rude greeting. "What took you so long?"

"Wha—? I'm on time! Eight, I said!"

She waggled her finger. _"Early _is on time. On time is late."

I crossed my arms. "Then what does that make late?"

She started walking toward the train car. "Then you might as well not even show! Come on, Slowpoke. My Escavalier is faster than you."

"Tough talk, Rosa. Am I going to have to carry the team like I did yesterday?"

She laughed. "Carry the team? You're welcome for all the Reflect."

"Let's settle this, then," I said. "Seven more battles. Make it a run of 14."

I extended my hand. She shook it.

The first battle was no problem. The most trouble we had was the annoyance of Sturdy.

Second battle was a sweep. Neither of our Pokémon were hit.

In the third battle, we suffered our first casualty: my Braviary was knocked out by Power Gem from a Nosepass.

"Don't look at me," Rosa said. "Special Defense is _your _problem."

I shook my head, grinning, and tossed out my Emboar, which made mincemeat of the opponent.

The fourth battle was against some Hiker and a Parasol Lady—if I remember, her nametag pegged her as Leone.

"My boyfriend left me on a rainy day," Leone said quietly. "So I will take it out on you."

I blinked. I looked at Rosa. She blinked too. "Uh," I said.

"Let's, uh, battle," Rosa said, and then we curbstomped them.

Leone returned her fainted Gothorita, hiding her eyes with her hair. She trembled a little bit. "They… they s-say rainy days never s-stay…" she hiccupped, "but will the rain in my heart ever s-stop…?"

She sat down on the bench, placed her parasol in her lap, and hid her face in her hands. She shivered slightly, but otherwise was completely silent.

Meanwhile, Rosa and I shuffled our feet, impatient but awkward.

The Hiker got our attention, and smiled wanly. "Y'all just go on ahead," he said. "Sorry."

"Uh… sure. Good match," I added hurriedly, and I moved ahead. Rosa was close behind.

Rosa and I stood silently as we healed our Pokémon.

"So, uh, for the next battle, um…" I didn't really have anything to say, but I wanted to say _something._

"That's so weird," Rosa murmured.

"Yeah!" I agreed. "Like—crying? _What?"_

"No, it's just that I've seen her before," Rosa said absently. "No… it wasn't her. It was others like her."

I frowned. "Then if you've seen that before, why was it weird?"

"It's just so frequent," she said.

I looked down at my Poké Balls. "Huh."

Rosa cleared her throat. "Let's keep moving," she said, and brushed her hair over her ear. "That's, what, eleven?"

We plowed through the last three battles, and the train halted.

Rosa and I sat on a bench as we waited for the next train to take us back to Nimbasa. "That was a sick Leaf Storm you ended with," I said. "Your Serperior is awesome! It's like it isn't even weakened by the Special Attack drop."

"It's got Contrary," Rosa said plainly. "It's actually strengthened by Leaf Storm, not weakened."

I raised an eyebrow. "Its Hidden Ability? I thought it wasn't possible to find Snivy with it."

"So far, it's only known to stem from Serperior," Rosa said. "And certain offspring of a Contrary Serperior. Insanely rare, nonetheless. Got it from Hoenn."

"Hoenn?" I thought of Yancy. "Do you travel?"

"No," she sighed. "Never left Unova. I, uh… I used to date this guy. _He _traveled a lot, and I got the Serperior from him."

"Where did he get it…?" I wondered aloud. Rosa shrugged. "So, 'used to?'"

"Yeah. That wasn't for very long, though. Less than a month."

The train screeched in, and we boarded alone.

"So, this 'guy'—"

"If it's all the same to you, would you mind dropping this?" she asked earnestly.

"Uh, sure."

We rode the train in silence. _She's single… _I scowled. _Nate, no! Bad Nate!_

Soon the train arrived, and we got off. "So, see you tomorrow for number twenty-one?" I asked.

"Actually, I haven't eaten breakfast," Rosa said. "Is there any good breakfast place in town?"

"Nope, not really," I said. "If you want to go to Castelia City, the Café Sonata is awesome."

"Yeah, I knew about that, but that's a walk, and there's this one, uh…"

"Pokémon Breeder, right in the walkway," I said, nodding.

"Exactly!" Rosa exclaimed. _"So_ annoying, and I don't want to battle."

"We can sneak around her, though."

"I suppose. Café Sonata it is."

We started walking in silence. When Nimbasa and Join Avenue were behind us, I opened conversation. "So, you aren't from Nimbasa?"

"No, how could you tell?"

"You didn't know if there was breakfast there," I said. "Duh."

"Eh, well." She started humming to herself.

"Breeder's usually right around that corner," I said. "If we go through the deep sand around that rock, she won't see us."

I glanced around the corner. "Yep, there she is. Go, go!"

Rosa darted across the street to the rock. I followed behind her.

Rosa stepped in the sand. "Ugh," she whispered. "This gets _everywhere._ Why do Breeders always have to challenge us?"

"Well, because… Hm." I didn't have an answer.

We waded through the sand quietly.

"Yeah, why _don't _trainers challenge us all the time?" I wondered suddenly. "Only Breeders actually seem to want to train and get better by consistently challenging."

"That's a great question." Rosa lifted herself out of the sand and outreached a hand to help me out. "I _did_ battle this one Gentleman in Village Bridge who said I ruined his hundred-victory streak, and said he wouldn't battle me again if he wanted to restart it."

"I battled that same man," I said. We continued walking south, toward Castelia City. The buildings already towered over us. "I wonder if he lied about the ninety-nine wins he claimed to have."

"It is quite a coincidence."

"Yeah."

We got to Café Sonata within a few minutes. It was quiet and fairly empty, as usual; someone sat on a stool by the bar, strumming melancholy notes on his guitar.

Rosa and I munched on our waffles. "Tho," I began. I swallowed. "You don't live in Nimbasa?"

"No, I actually live here in the city," she said.

I took a thoughtful bite. "Hm."

"You wanna swing by my apartment?" she asked. "You can meet my mom."

"Sure, why not," my mouth said coolly, with my brain saying something like _wutwutwut._ She was so casual about it, too.

"Cool." She chewed her waffle, looking out the window.

Soon, we paid and left. We started walking around the city.

Rosa frowned suddenly. "How does Earthquake work on the Battle Subway?"

I stopped, processing the question. She stopped a few paces ahead, an amused expression on her face.

"That's… wow," I said. "I never thought about that." I scrunched my face up. "It should rip the train apart, or like, derail it, at least…"

"Mind blown, right?" Rosa laughed.

"Mind. Blown." We started walking again.

"Speaking of blowing up, what about Explosion and Self-Destruct?" she posited.

"Man, don't get me started."

Walk, walk, walk.

"So is your dad there, too?" I asked.

"Nah," Rosa said. "He lives in another region right now. Gym Leader, or contest coordinator, or something, I dunno."

"Do you not care?"

"Nope. Haven't _really _seen him in years. Sometimes he visits, and he and Mom go on a vacation together, but then he's gone as soon as they come back."

"That's too bad," I said. "At least he's pursuing his dream, though."

"Yeah, and I can't really fault him for that," Rosa said, shrugging. "At least, Mom doesn't, and she tells me not to."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so we walked quietly some more.

We passed a corner, and Rosa spoke up. "So, what about your parents?"

"It's just me and my mom, too," I said.

"Is she in Nimbasa?"

"No, I'm actually from Aspertia City."

"Aspertia? _Really? _Hm." She looked away. "We used to live there. I was born there, actually."

"That's interesting."

"The Normal-type Gym Leader, uh, what's his name…"

"Cheren."

"Yeah, him. He's there, right?"

"Yup."

More walking.

"So are you two close?"

"Hm?" I couldn't remember when I'd last spoken to Cheren. We hadn't had a _real _conversation since—

I shook my head. "We used to be, but, well, he has Gym Leader duties, and I—"

"Oh, I meant you and your mom."

"Oh!" I looked away. "We're fine, yeah."

Rosa gave me a look. "Really? What's with the whole, the whole troubled-past look you've got there?"

"Oh, shut up."

Rosa nudged me, adopting a crotchety voice. "Tell me the truth, young man, or so help me I'll send you to your room!"

I brushed her off. "Geez, what was that? I said my mother, not, like, a ninety-year-old homeless person."

"Still."

"Fine." I took a breath. "No. We aren't close."

"Why not?" she asked. "Do you not visit?"

"I used to," I said.

"I think it's important to visit every now and then," Rosa pointed out. "Pokémon journeys are awesome, yeah, but it's normal to get homesick."

"Nah, it's nothing like that," I said. "It's just, you know, when Professor Juniper offered starter Pokémon, my mom signed me up and urged me to go on this journey."

"It's a valuable experience, right?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. Sometimes, while traveling, I'd call her, and she'd ask where I was. I'd tell her, and she'd be all like, 'oh, I used to be a nurse at the Pokémon Center there,' or 'wow, that route's cool, you can catch some Audino there, did you know we used those in Pokémon Centers?'"

"So she used to be a Nurse."

"Yep," I said. "She traveled all over Unova when she had that job. We would move from place to place when I was a kid, so I kinda knew what to expect when starting my journey. And man, she has some great stories to tell about that job."

"That's cool."

"But, that's all she'd talk about," I continued. "Pokémon Centers, Pokémon Centers. Sometimes, I'd just want to talk, and not about Pokémon Centers. So, she'd scrunch up her face, think for a moment, and tell me about Natures."

Rosa glanced at me. "Pokémon Natures?" she asked skeptically.

I nodded. "Yep. Pokémon Natures. Every time. Never, 'how was your day?' or 'any gym badges yet?'" I shrugged. "So after a while, I just… stopped calling."

Rosa was quiet.

I was quiet.

We were both quiet.

"So now I do my own thing," I said cheerfully, with a thumbs-up. "Whenever I'm done with… stuff… THEN I'll go home."

"Okay…" she said. She brushed her hair over her ear. Suddenly, she got excited. "Hey! Look over there!"

"What?"

She pointed. "There's no line for the Casteliacone stand! Let's grab a couple of them."

Casteliacones.

Cas. Tel. I. A. Cones.

I froze like a Casteliacone. With dread, I looked down at my Xtransceiver, at the time.

_09:52_

"Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no."

She turned around. "What's up?"

"I, I have to, uh," I stammered. "I'm late for something! Really, really late—I'll see you tomorrow, Rosa!" I started running.

"What? Nate!" she shouted after me.

I looked over my shoulder as I ran. "Subway bosses tomorrow! Twenty-one!" I said with a forced grin. I tossed out my Braviary. "Nimbasa, quick, quick!" I urged, and we took off.

* * *

"Yancy!" I shouted, running. "Yancy! Sorry I'm late, sorry, sorry!"

I stopped in front of the Ferris wheel ticket booth, doubled over and panting. I looked around, but the place was deserted. Not a Yancy in sight.

I noticed something glinting on the ground next to a bench. I frowned, walking over toward it.

As I got closer, dread started to settle in my stomach. I soon realized what it was.

I knelt down and picked up a familiar, yellow Xtransceiver. The same one I'd returned to Yancy weeks ago. A large crack ran through the middle of the screen from being dropped.

I groaned, resting my forehead on it. This was it, no doubt.

"Hey!"

"Yeah?" I looked over my shoulder. "Gah!" I recoiled, banging my head against the bench. Rubbing my head, I stood up and faced her. "Oof… What do you want, Persephone?"

"A rematch!" she declared, her hands on her hips and her feet planted. "Right now!"

I sighed. My head throbbed. "Fine." I pulled a Poké Ball from my belt. "Rematch."

* * *

_New chapters every Friday._


	3. Girls Are Like Pokémon

_Sorry 'bout missing that deadline I set for myself. Well, not _really_ sorry, since I was having a great time, but anyway, two chapters today as an apology._

* * *

Chapter 3: **Girls Are Like Pokémon...**

* * *

"Nate, you haven't even _touched _your cone," Isabella said. "Tell me what's wrong."

I sighed and pulled out the dropped item. "This."

"A yellow Xtransceiver?" she said skeptically.

"Yeah, you see—Wait, did you just say 'Ex-transceiver?'"

She looked confused. "Yeah?"

I gave her a look. "It's pronounced 'Cross-transceiver.'"

"That's absurd," she said. "If that was the case, it would be a C-transceiver. Or it would just spell out 'Crosstransceiver.'"

"I'm telling you, it's Cross," I said. "Like, communicating a-_cross_ the region."

"No way!" she said. "I've always pronounced it Ex-transceiver. Everyone I know does it, too!"

"Oh really? Then what does the X mean?"

She hesitated. "I dunno… People always put X in front of things to make them seem cooler. X-Special, X-Accuracy..."

"Heh, sure, sure."

"Well, it could still _mean _Cross-transceiver," she said defensively. "It's like 'Deerling Xing' signs you see on a road. It _means_ 'Deerling crossing,' but people still _say _'Deerling Ex-ing.'"

"Oh, whatever, it doesn't matter." I X'd my arms. "So, yeah, this Xtransceiver. It's Yancy's."

"Yancy's, huh?" she said.

"A while back, I found this Xtransceiver in the amusement park in Nimbasa City," I said. "Soon I found out it was Yancy's, and while I was traveling, she would call me every now and then on her coworker's Xtransceiver. After about ten calls, she said she had free time and would like to pick it up by the Ferris wheel."

"Sure," Isabella said. "So her work is pretty time-consuming?"

"Yeah, and it's crazy," I said. "This morning, we had _one _hour to hang out. One. And that would've been the _second_ time we would've met face-to-face."

Isabella furrowed her eyebrows. "So what happened?"

I took a breath. "You know the Battle Subway?"

"Sure."

"Uh… so there's this girl—"

"You're kidding," Isabella said dryly. "You wasted time with this Battle Subway girl and missed your date with Yancy?"

I nodded shamefully.

Isabella smacked me upside the head. "What is the _matter _with you?! How many girls are there?"

"Uh… only, uh… one more."

She facepalmed. "So. Three girls. Who's this last one?"

"Her name's Persephone," I said. "Lass Persephone. Met her on the Ferris wheel, and she's been obsessed with me ever since. Challenges me to a rematch every time we meet, and then we ride the Ferris wheel together because she insists I repay her for beating her."

She looked at me skeptically. "So, you like her because…?"

"I don't," I said honestly. "She's crazy as a Zubat. _She _likes _me._"

"So then why do you count her as one of your… harem girls?"

"It's _not _a harem!" I said emphatically. "But, well, she's the only one who already likes me. If, uh… if it doesn't work out with the others, then, you know…"

"A fallback plan?" Isabella frowned thoughtfully.

She ate some of her cone for a few seconds. I indulged in mine for a little while.

Isabella broke the silence. "So she dropped her Xtransceiver again?"

"Yeah," I said. "She left me a message on it, too, look."

I brought up the message and showed Isabella. Yancy's upset image appeared.

"_Hey, it's me. Uh… I'm, uh, I'm usually the one who keeps you waiting, you know? And, and I always feel terrible about it. B-But, you told me you're practically always free. If nine o' clock didn't work, you could've told me. And if you just… just stood me up…" _Yancy sniffed. _"Which I t-think is what you did… t-then you can just forget it! I'm not calling you anymore. We aren't friends." _Yancy turned away from the camera, wiping a tear from her eye. _"I can hardly even look at this Xtransceiver. I'm putting it back where it was, and you can k-keep it this time, Nate!"_

The message ended.

"Huh," Isabella said. "She pronounced it 'Cross-transceiver,' too."

"Not the point, Izzy."

"Right, right." She pouted. "That's a bummer. Sorry, bud."

"Yeah."

We ate our Casteliacones.

After a few minutes, Isabella broke the silence again. She set her finished cone next to her, leaned forward, and gestured at me with her hands. "Listen, Nate. I'm gonna tell you something very important."

"Uh, go ahead."

"I think I've got you all figured out, so I'm going to put this in terms you can understand." She stared at me intensely. "Girls are like Pokémon."

Blink. "What."

"Alright Nate, so you know how Pokémon have types?" She definitely _looked _serious.

"Sure…"

"And those types are like Rock-Paper-Scissors?"

I nodded. "Sure, but way more complicated."

"Exactly. Girl types are to Pokémon types what Pokémon types are to Rock-Paper-Scissors."

"Girls are super effective—?"

"Oh, shut up. You know exactly what I'm saying. Girls have types, but they're way more complex and way less definable than Pokémon types."

"Uh…" I tried to find her point. "Go on?"

"Well, it's not _just _that girls have types. Guys have types, too, that is, the types of girls they like. Well, not _just_ guys, but let's stick to guys for now."

"What?"

She nodded. "Yep, yep. Guys have types. The kinds of girls they want to catch."

"Oh, bringing the Pokémon metaphor full circle," I said dryly.

"Shut up. So, I'm going to define some of this for you. You might not like what you hear, but I'm going to be honest. Okay?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Sure."

"Okay." She counted 'one' on her index finger. "First: Yancy. You 'met cute' with her."

"What does _that _mean?"

"You found an item she lost," Isabella said. "Romance ensues. You meet her in person, you return it, and bam: she's your first type, your 'love at first sight.'" She counted a second finger. "Second: that girl from the Battle Subway."

"Rosa," I said.

"Rosa, then. She's your second type: your 'mirror.'"

"My _mirror?"_

"She's the most like you of your crushes," Isabella said. "She likes the Battle Subway, just like you. And she must be fun to talk to regardless, considering you completely forgot about your date with Yancy because of her."

"Hm. Hadn't thought of it that way."

"That's why I'm here," Isabella said smugly. She counted on a third finger. "Third: that Lass by the Ferris wheel. Persephone, was it? She's the 'would settle for' type. You want to keep Persephone on the hook because, if all else fails, you still have her."

I stared at my feet.

"So, you must be a perfectionist or something," Isabella said. "Every genre of movie, check. Battle Subway, check. It would kill you if you weren't successful with girls, too."

I looked away silently.

"Nate…"

"So what does that make you, Isabella?" I faced her. "What type are you to me?"

Isabella leaned back, frowning uncomfortably. "I… I don't know."

I sighed. "I'm gonna turn in. See you tomorrow, Isabella."

"Same time, same place?"

"Yeah."

I didn't sleep well that night.

* * *

Rosa greeted me hesitantly. "Morning, Nate."

"Morning," I said. I wasn't trying very hard to hide my depression.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Is it about yesterday?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She pursed her lips. "Okay. Well, let's knock 'em out today. We've got a rematch with Ingo and Emmet to settle."

"Well, let's get there first," I said. "We need six more battles before we reach twenty-one."

"Right," she said. "Serperior-Braviary?"

"Sure. I've got a different secondary, though."

"I look forward to it."

The first five battles were a little more challenging than before, but we edged through without either Serperior or Braviary fainting.

The sixth battle was against some trainer and one Backpacker Tatyana. I think she said something about a broken heart before the battle, but after we beat them, she said something far more meaningful.

"I have no home to return to, so maybe I'll live as a drifter."

I absently watched the machine scan my two Poké Balls, healing my allies within. _No home to return to._ Did I have one?

"Nate."

"Hm? Yeah."

Rosa took me by the shoulders. "You have to get your head in the _game_, Nate! _This is it. _The Subway Bosses. And our Pokémon are level-locked in the Subway, so there's no chance we'll crush them like we did last time. We've gotta work as a team, and we'll win! Are you with me?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

She huffed impatiently. "I don't like how wishy-washy you sound, but I don't have time to knock sense into you. Let's continue on."

Ingo and Emmet. Yeah. The music playing in this subway car was pretty awesome (it inexplicably reminded me of Alder and Benga), but I wasn't listening to them talk. When they finally shut up, I led with Braviary, Rosa with Serperior, Ingo with Garbodor, and Emmet with Klingklang.

"Get the Garbodor first!" Rosa commanded. "Sludge Bomb will wreck my Serperior!"

"I can take out the Klingklang in one hit," I said. "Braviary, use Superpower!"

Braviary crashed headlong into the Klingklang, knocking it down. The Klingklang struggled back upright, and used Shift Gear.

"Great," Rosa snarled. "Serperior, Leaf Storm on Garbodor!"

Serperior complied, but Garbodor plowed through the attack and coughed a Sludge Bomb onto Serperior.

Serperior collapsed. Rosa shook her head, hissing, and returned it. "Nice one, Nate."

"Calm down, it'll go down in a second," I snapped.

"It's at plus-two Speed, and plus-one Attack."

"My Braviary is faster."

"The Garbodor was more important!"

"Argue later! I'll finish it off, you take out the Garbodor."

"Fine! Let's do this, Archeops!"

"Braviary, another Superpower should do it!"

Braviary dive-bombed Klingklang, knocking it down once again. To my surprise, the mess of gears righted itself again.

"What?!"

"You lose Attack and Defense from Superpower, idiot!"

"I know that!" I snarled. "I thought it was injured more than it was! Stupid possum-playing garbage!"

"Well, now you're at minus-two Attack and Defense," she said. "Look at it go."

Klingklang Gear Grinded my winded Braviary, knocking the great bird out.

"Your backup better be good," Rosa muttered, and ordered Archeops to use Earthquake.

I watched the train car curiously. It hardly seemed affected by the attack. When I looked back at the match, both the Garbodor and Klingklang had fainted, with Archeops as the last Pokémon standing.

"Last ones," I said. "We're close."

"Listen to me this time," she said.

"Fine."

Ingo and Emmet chose Durant and Galvantula.

_Uh-oh. Bugs. _I chose my secondary: Cresselia.

Rosa blinked. "Cresselia? That's _legal_ here?"

"Yeah," I said.

"I thought that was a legendary…"

"Focus, Rosa! Cresselia is a tank, but you need to be the offense here, all right?"

"Right!"

Archeops went first, using Rock Slide on both enemies. The Galvantula took the hit hard, but hung in there. Durant shook off the attack.

The Durant moved next, using X-Scissor on my Cresselia. Cresselia took the hit poorly, and fainted.

"I thought you said it was a tank?!" Rosa exclaimed.

"A _Special _tank," I muttered.

"Ugh."

Galvantula went last, throwing itself at Archeops with Wild Charge. Archeops took the hit, just surviving; but its movements were sluggish, and its eyes were half-lidded and defeated.

Rosa scowled, returning her Archeops. "We forfeit," she said, disgusted.

* * *

She was steaming as we waited for the return train.

"Sorry about that," I said. "Defeatist is an awful ability for a Pokémon."

"That's not why I'm mad, Nate." She glared at me. "What's gotten into you? Wait." She raised a hand before I could reply. "I don't need to know. But you can't let it get to you like that! _You_ just ended our streak. You. Now we have to go through all twenty-one battles again to complete the Multi Train."

"I'm sorry, Rosa. You're right."

"Chemistry, Nate," she emphasized. "We have to have _chemistry _to work as a team."

"We have chemistry _off _the field," I said.

She was taken aback. "…That… that wasn't really what I meant."

"Me neither," I said hurriedly. "Teams. Battling. Yes."

We looked away from each other.

"His name was Curtis," Rosa said suddenly.

"Whose? _Oh. _His."

She didn't meet my eye. "We were really close. I could trust him. I don't want…"

I nodded. "I get it."

We quietly rode the train back to Nimbasa.

"Do you want to go to Café Sonata again?" Rosa offered as we left Gear Station.

"Nah… I have to be somewhere."

Rosa smirked. "Don't be late."

"Bite me." I flew away on Braviary.

I called Isabella on my Xtransceiver. "Hey!" I said over the wind.

"What's up?" She squinted. "Are you _flying?"_

"Yeah!" I shouted. "I'm a little early, but could you meet me on the hill? I want to talk."

"A _little _early? It's not even noon. What do you want to talk about?"

"Something. Anything."

"Uh—Sure, I'll be there soon."

"Bye."

When I arrived at the hill, she was there already. She smiled when she saw me, and raised a Casteliacone of greeting.

I laughed nervously. "We don't _have _to keep eating these, Isabella," I said.

"No, I like them," she said. "Plus it just seems like tradition now."

"Sure." I accepted the cone and sat.

She sat, straightened her dress, and faced me. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I just want to talk."

"Okay. Um…" She gestured at the sky. "Great weather, huh?"

"Yeah. A little humid, though."

"Yeah."

We sat awkwardly.

"What do we _usually _talk about?" I asked.

"You," she said. "Your love life especially."

"Oh," I said. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Isabella said. "Let's talk about me for a minute, then."

"Sure, uh… how are your parents?"

"My parents are great," she said. "They live in Floccesy Town, so it's kind of a walk, but it's not so bad."

"Are you close with them?"

"Yeah, of course," she said. "You aren't with yours?"

I frowned. "We're talking about you."

"Right, but how about we each talk about ourselves, instead?" she said. "Someone asks a question, and we both answer."

"Sounds fair."

She paused. "So… answer the question."

"Oh! Sure."

I answered her question same way I did with Rosa.

Similarly, we were both quiet afterwards.

"Well… that was, uh…"

"Depressing?"

"Yeah." She shrunk a little. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I try not to."

"So, what do you think that means?" Isabella asked. "Do you… do you think your mother doesn't love you?"

"Well, I didn't, but now I do!" I said, putting on a show of being distressed. Then I waved it away. "I'm sure she at least tries to, but she doesn't show it well. Mom still lives in her glory days, and if I'm out in the world, she's freer at home. Sure, she loves me, just like any mother would for their child. She just doesn't _care _for me."

"I'm… sorry, Nate. When's the last time you spoke to her?"

"Almost a month ago," I said.

Isabella's frown deepened.

"Your turn," I interrupted. "I asked the 'parent' question."

"Oh! Uh… What's your strongest Pokémon?"

"That's not fair," I complained. "I already know both of your Pokémon."

Isabella giggled. "Mine is Lilligant. Now answer the question."

I sighed. "Let's see… In terms of raw attacking power, I'd have to go with Terrakion."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Terrakion… The name rings a bell, but…"

"Well, here." I reached into my bag and retrieved my Pokédex. I scrolled to Terrakion. "This one." I handed it to her.

"Wait, is this…" She took the Pokédex, examining it. "This is a Pokédex! You're a Dex Holder?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Wow." She looked at the screen. "I… yeah, I know that Pokémon. Where have I seen it?"

"It's a Legendary," I said. "Right now, I'm EV training it on the side."

"Yeah! That's one of the Swords of Justice!" She squinted. "Yeah, a full Pokédex entry… you've caught one."

I smiled wanly. "Scroll around."

For about a minute, she scrolled through my Pokédex, her mouth widening the more she did so. "How many… how many Pokémon do you have?"

"At least four hundred different types," I said. "Two-thirds of the way to completion, not counting Kalos and beyond. Only the Unova 'dex is complete right now, though."

"Landorus… Kyurem… Keldeo… Meloetta… Look at all of these!" She showed it to me, as if I didn't already know. "How—? This is incredible, Nate! How much time did this take?"

"Well, I started my Pokémon journey about… I don't know, three, four months ago?"

"What?! That's impossible!"

"Hardly," I said. "The Habitat List function lets me know what Pokémon are in the area, and there are plenty of people who have, and will, trade Pokémon with me. HM02, Fly, makes it easy to travel anywhere I want in the region. I've flown all over Unova and caught everything there is to catch. All that's left are other regions, now, and right now I'm trying to see what I can do without having to leave Unova."

"All over Unova? Wait… You have a Braviary."

I frowned. "So?"

"If memory serves, you can only find Rufflet… Yeah!" She pointed at the Pokédex triumphantly. "You can only find Rufflet on Route 23."

"Your point being…?"

"That's across the entire region," she said. "One doesn't just _go _there. You stop by if it's on your way. You went through Victory Road, didn't you?" She gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth. "Wait… A month ago, there was this report on TV, where they were interviewing the new…" She stood up, pointing at me. "That was you! You're the Champion!"

I grimaced. "Yeah."

She sat back down, much closer to me now. "That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I wanted to make it on my own merit," I said. "People would treat me different otherwise."

"Make _what? _Acting? That—_would _be your own merit! You earned your Championship on your own!"

"Listen," I said firmly. "Everything is separate. Becoming Champion, completing the Pokédex, Pokéstar Studios, whatever. It's all separate. It doesn't matter, here, if I'm the Champion, or if I defeated Team Plasma, or whatever."

"You defeated Team Plasma?!" Isabella exclaimed. "What _haven't _you done?"

"A lot," I said. "Too much."

She closed her eyes and took a breath. She moved away from me. "Sorry." She opened her eyes. "This…" She waved my Pokédex around. "This is all _way_ too much, Nate. Your workload is way too much for someone your age." She hesitated. "What _is _your age?"

"I ain't tellin'."

She waved it away. "Whatever. Just keep what I said in mind, okay? You're young. You've got a life ahead of you to do everything you want. You don't have to do it all now." She offered my Pokédex back.

I took it. "Life's too short to worry about that," I said, shrugging. "I've gotta be awesome now. Whatever I want to do in the future, I can do that then."

She seemed saddened. "Okay, Nate. Whatever makes _you _happy."

"Thank you."

We were silent for a while.

"Oh! It's your turn," she said.

"My—? Oh, right!" I tapped my chin. "Hmm… Who was your first—?"

Suddenly, my Xtransceiver rang. We both jumped. "J-Just a sec," I said. I checked my Xtransceiver, but the screen was normal.

I stared at it, confused. Then, I realized it wasn't _my _Xtransceiver.

We both stared at the dropped item lying between us.


	4. Not Funny

Chapter 4: **Not Funny! Not Even Fun.**

* * *

"Hey…"

I flinched. "Hi, Yancy. I'm… I'm _so _sorry."

Yancy's eyes were red, and her hair was a little disheveled. "I know."

"I thought you said you wouldn't call me again."

"I _really _didn't want to," she murmured, "but that's the company's Xtransceiver, so I can't just throw it away, apparently."

I couldn't help but snicker. Yancy laughed a little, too. "So, you want me to bring it back?"

"Yes, please," she said. "Tomorrow morning in Nimbasa, please." She glared intensely at me. "Nine o' clock."

"I promise!" I insisted. "Nine in the morning. Call me Doduo, because I will be an Early Bird!"

Yancy gave me a confused pity laugh. "Okay… I have to get back to work now. See you." _Click._

"'Call me Doduo, I will be an Early Bird?'" Isabella burst out laughing.

"Shut up, I was nervous!" But I was laughing, too.

"So tell me more about Yancy," Isabella said, once she calmed down.

"She's wonderful," I said. "She's nice, and she just gives you so much attention whenever you talk, and she's just—the cutest—thing—ever. And she doesn't have your sass."

"What sass?" Isabella said innocently.

"Ugh, you're so full of it." I sat back, staring at the horizon. I checked my Xtransceiver; it was about noon. "Yancy's really quiet… and insecure. She always asked me for advice about everything, or my opinions, or whatever. She cared about my day. She loved to just _talk._"

"How many times have you talked?"

"Before this last time? I don't know… More than thirty." I sighed. "I'd hate for it all to go down the drain over something so stupid."

"Something so stupid as you hanging out with another girl instead of her?" she said dryly. "That's pretty stupid."

"It—it wasn't like that!" I said. "At the time."

"That's irrelevant, Nate."

I sighed. "I know, I know."

"So what are you going to do?" Isabella asked. "Are you going to just return it to her and leave?"

"No. No!" I said. "I can't do that! If I do that, then… that's it! The end."

"So what _are _you going to do?"

"I don't know," I said. "I hope she lets me apologize. I hope I can…"

"What?"

I grabbed my hair, frustrated. "I don't know! I have to make it work. Somehow."

"Why?"

"Because—because I do! If I don't, then… then…"

"Then what?"

"Then I've failed!" I shouted, standing. "I've messed up! I _didn't win!"_

"Win?" Isabella said, frowning. "This isn't a Pokémon battle, Nate."

"I know that! I do!" I dropped back down. "I know."

"Is that what this is?" she said softly. "You just don't want to, to lose?"

"It's not an option," Nate said. "I _have_ to succeed at this. I've never failed before."

Isabella smiled. "You have once. Me."

"Did I? _Did I?"_ I said, standing again. I grabbed my bag. "I figured out what type you are, Isabella. You're the forbidden fruit. I can't have you, but it doesn't stop me from liking you!"

Isabella froze in shock. "I… Nate, it can never happen."

"I know! I _know _that!" I yelled. "But—you _care!_ You like talking to me! You analyze all of my problems, and you help me! I've never had someone do that for me before, and because of that, I'm—I'm not giving up yet! I can't—"

"Don't you dare, Nate!" Isabella said, standing as well. Tears welled in her eyes. "You can't tell me all this! That's not fair!"

"Why not?!" I shouted. "I tell you everything! You know more about me than anyone else in the world! Why shouldn't you know this?!"

"It's—not—healthy!" she shouted back. "You need to be able to trust people! You can't rely on just one person to carry all your burdens!"

"You don't—my _burdens? _That's not true!"

"Yes it is! I _carry your burdens. _Yes I do. You tell me all this relationship stuff, so I get invested in your story."

I scoffed. "My 'story.' Yeah, right. And you _asked _me about all that relationship stuff! You twist conversations to talk about me, and always deflect questions about you!"

"'Deflect?' You are _always _the first to bring it up! Or your Xtransceiver interrupts us!"

"It—is—pronounced—_Cross-transceiver!"_

"What-_ever!_ If I had _twice_ the baggage you had, trust me, you would not hear a peep out of me!"

"I don't believe that for one second! If I were you, I'd do the _same—"_ I hesitated, and caught my breath. Much calmer, I proceeded. "I'd do the same thing you do. I'd listen to everything you had to say."

Isabella had no response. She wiped tears from her eyes, turning away. "L-Look, I have to go back to work…"

I stood there uncomfortably. "Yeah…"

She grabbed her things and quickly walked away.

I fell on my back, staring at the sky. I covered my face with my hands.

* * *

I approached the Ferris wheel. I sighed with relief: this time, Yancy was there.

"Good morning, Yancy," I said.

She snapped to. "G-Good morning, Nate."

"I, uh… here's your Xtransceiver." I held it out.

She stared at it for a long moment, her fingers twitching.

"Uh," I said, "are you going to take it?"

"Um. Yes." She gently took it.

We stood there silently for approximately six eternities.

"So…" I began.

"I should go now," she said hurriedly.

_No! _"Um, uh, wait."

Yancy stopped, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Y-Yes?"

"You didn't really—I didn't get a chance to really apologize," I said.

She looked down and nodded. "Okay."

"Well, uh, it's just, I really, really like—"

Yancy interrupted me. "Oh no!"

I frowned. "Geez, Yancy, I wasn't—"

"No, it's not you, but my boss is right over there! Nodon'tlook—HERE!" She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the Ferris wheel. "We have to hide from him for a minute!"

"Uh—alright?"

She closed the box shut, and the wheel began to turn.

"Sorry," Yancy said sheepishly. "I'm actually not free right now, I'm supposed to be working and in uniform and stuff. My boss would chew me out if he saw me here! Ahaha!"

That was the best laugh ever.

"Heh! Well, okay then." I scratched my head. _Uniform? _"I've… I've never asked, but what do you _do _for a living?"

"Oh!" Yancy turned bright red. Her hair looked white in comparison. "I, uh, it's nothing big, really, I just…"

I gave her a look. "Yancy. C'mon."

She took her hat off and hid her mouth with it. "I'm sorry, Nate. I didn't mean to lie to you all this time, but… do you ever watch TV?"

"Uh… no? Not often. I travel."

"Right! I knew that. Ahaha! I just wondered if—right—yeah. Shut up, Yancy…"

"So, what, are you an actress?"

"No! Well, um, kinda," she stammered. "I—uh—I'm—I'm Nancy. With an N. On TV."

"Nancy? Wait—Nancy, the bubbly television personality?!" I grinned, flabbergasted though I was. "You _interviewed _me, and I didn't know it was you?"

"I interviewed you? When?" Yancy gasped in realization. "You're the Champion!"

"Yeah!" I said excitedly. "I'm also an actor for Pokéstar Studios!"

"The one who's been in thirty-nine movies?! I've interviewed Brycen and Sabrina for some of the movies you were in!"

"That's so crazy!" I laughed. "We've just barely missed each other, all this time."

We smiled at each other wordlessly.

She moved to sit next to me, putting her arm around mine. "Listen. I overreacted before. I really, really want to keep calling you. I like you, Nate."

"I, uh, I, I feel the same," I stammered, taken aback.

She smiled, resting her head on my shoulder. A great anxiety lifted from my shoulders. I could take on the world. Heck, I could even take on the Battle Subway. I could—

The Ferris wheel stopped, startling both of us.

"W-Well," Yancy said, shouldering her bag and standing up, "my boss is probably gone now, so I'm going to go get changed, and, um, uh…"

"I'll walk you back if you want," I offered.

"Okay," she giggled.

THAT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA

We left the Ferris wheel and started walking back toward the main city. Yancy kept glancing sideways at me.

"Something up?" I asked.

Yancy smiled a little bit, blushing. Without a word, she took my hand.

I smiled at her, and we kept walking.

Then: "Naaaate!"

I cringed. _Oh no._

Persephone ran up. "Nate, I challenge you to a—" She stopped, eyes narrowing. "H-Holding hands, huh."

I was totally frozen. Not a word.

"No, I get it, I get it," she said, nodding viciously. "You know. We've only battled, like, a dozen times, _Nate." _She said my name with terrifying venom. "No, no, don't worry. I didn't have any, like, any _expectations. _No, of _course _not! Why would I? Of course you have a girlfriend already!"

"Ah, Persephone, I think you're blowing things out of proportion…"

"Am I? Am I?!" she hissed. Her rage was becoming less and less veiled. "I didn't, like, I didn't drag you around for weeks, never giving, like, a definite answer, or anything." She crossed her arms, looking for something else to say.

Yancy looked very uncomfortable. She gripped my hand nervously, as though Persephone would attack us.

"Nate."

I cringed again. _Oh no, oh no._

I turned and faced Rosa. Her arms were crossed, her expression stern.

"Another one?!" Persephone exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

"Rosa," I said weakly. "Hi."

"Hey," Rosa said flatly. "Oh, don't worry: I'll just leave you alone." She whirled around and stormed off.

"Rosa!" I called after her.

Persephone cleared her throat, catching our attention. "You could have at least told me no!" she shouted, brimming with tears, and stormed off.

Yancy dropped my hand with disgust as Persephone left. "Nate!" she said in a scolding tone.

"Yancy, come on…"

"No, _you _come on!" she exclaimed, poking my chest defiantly. "Were they both your girlfriends?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "Persephone was, like, a stalker or something!"

"But she said you never told her to stop," Yancy said.

"Y—well… that's, that's true," I said, rubbing my head.

"And—and that Rosa girl. You like her, too?"

"She's a friend," I insisted. "From the Battle Subway. We tackled the Multi Train together."

"Did you lead her on?" Yancy asked intensely. "She seemed upset! She liked you."

"Y-You think so?" I asked.

"Ugh!" Yancy said, starting to storm off. She stopped, turning to face me. "Do you even care about anyone else's feelings?!"

"Of course I—"

"No, you don't!" Yancy exclaimed. "If you did, we wouldn't _be _here. You can't pursue a bunch of girls at once, Nate, or you lose _all _of us!" She started storming off again. Then she stopped again and turned around. "And that Doduo joke was just _awful!"_ And she finally left.

I stood there for a little while, my mind blank.

Slowly, I turned and walked toward a bench, and I sat down.

The breeze was nice. The humidity, great. The sun was a little warm, though. Someone should turn that down.

This was it. After all this time. I'd finally failed. Everyone was gone. I'd lost everything in just twenty-four hours.

A thought occurred to me. I rummaged through my bag for a moment before finding my Pokédex; then I took it out. I stood up and wandered around until I found a trash can.

I threw it away.

_Nancy. With an N._

"N," I murmured. "N understands." I chose my Braviary and thought for a moment.

Apparently it was a long moment, because the Pokémon nudged my hand with concern.

"Oh, sorry, Tex. We're going to fly to the Pokémon League."

Texas lit up. He started humming.

"No, we aren't challenging the Elite Four again," I said. Texas drooped a little. "We're going back to N's Castle."

* * *

I descended the huge stairway into what was left of the monolithic structure. I could only wonder what Team Plasma had planned to do with such a stupidly huge building.

I searched the corridors for him. The main hall: empty. The throne room where I'd battled him: empty. His childhood room: creepy. And also empty. But still creepy, goodness gracious.

N wasn't here.

"Of course," I muttered. I'd thought he'd always be there when I really, really needed him. I was wrong.

I wandered into the throne room and sat where the throne should have been. I played with some gravel around me, tossing it and listening to it echo throughout the giant, empty, hopeless castle.

I buried my face in my hands.

For a long time, I just sat still like that. Head in hands. Giant, silent castle; one lonely inhabitant.

Suddenly, my Xtransceiver went off loudly, raising a cacophony of echoing beeps and startling me awake. I answered it quickly, but the damage was done: the castle was now ringing with the annoying sounds of my watch.

_Please be Yancy please be Yancy please be Yancy _"Hello?"

A vaguely-familiar face appeared onscreen. "Hey, superstar! How ya doing, Nate?"

"Not great." I rubbed my eyes. "Sorry, who is this?"

"This is Pokéstar Studios, baby! Get this: there's going to be _another _Brycen-Man movie. Tentative title is _Brycen-Man Strikes Back Harder. _Eh, I'm personally pushing for _Brycen-Man 4-Ever, _but we'll see how that goes. So! When can you come back and start filming?"

"Don't hold your breath," I spat, and hung up. I tore my Xtransceiver from my wrist and flung it across the room.

I buried my face in my hands again. For a while longer, I stayed like that.

Then, I heard footsteps. My head snapped up. "N?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not, Nate." A guy and a girl stood in front of me, both smiling. They looked… familiar, but I couldn't place from where.

"I think you dropped something," the guy said, and stepped aside to let a third person pass.

I stood up, alarmed, at who it was. "Wha—why? Why are you here?"

"Please, Nate," the girl said. "We want to talk with you."

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the guy said. "My name's Hilbert. My friend here is Hilda. And I think you've already met our other friend."

I watched, bewildered, as Red held out my Pokédex, waiting for me to accept it.

* * *

_Chapter 5 and conclusion coming this Friday/Saturday. Leave a review if you want._


	5. Battle Subway II

Chapter 5: **Why the Battle Subway is the Most Depressing Thing Ever**

* * *

I slowly reached out to take my Pokédex. "This is all so surreal… _The _Hilbert and Hilda? From two years ago?"

Hilbert nodded, beaming. "One and the same!"

I clutched my Pokédex close. "You—you took on Team Plasma and defeated them! You're heroes!"

Hilda sighed. "People give us more credit than we deserved. We had a _lot _of help. More than you did, Nate."

Hilbert nodded. "Yeah. Most of the Gym Leaders helped us out in the end."

"Only N was there to save you when it counted," Hilda said. "But he's gone for now. He'll be back, but he won't always be there."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "I'm not sitting here for my health."

Hilbert glared at me. "Show some respect, kid! We're here to help you out."

"Help me?" I stood, angry. _"Help _me?! Why didn't you help me a month ago, when I battled Team Plasma practically alone? Where were _you _when Unova was about to freeze over?!"

"Hey!" Hilda said, putting herself between me and Hilbert. "Calm down, you two. We can talk this over like adults."

Hilbert crossed his arms, looking away. "Your _face _is an adult."

"_Your _face is an adult!" I rebutted.

Hilda pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ugh. Hilbert, grow up, please." She turned to me. "Nate, we're sorry. We _weren't _there when Unova needed us, and we weren't there when _you _needed us. We can't control everything, and we can't turn back time."

I crossed my arms. "…That's fair."

"Thank you. Now, let's all sit, okay?"

The four of us sat down. I glanced at Red, who was as silent as ever; the brim of his hat covered his eyes. "They call Red the living legend," I said. "Why doesn't he talk?"

"He just doesn't like to," Hilbert said. "He prefers talking through actions."

I nodded. "Yeah, I can attest to that. He's one of the only trainers I've ever lost to."

"Don't feel bad," Hilbert laughed. "Red has only ever lost once."

"Really? When?"

Hilbert grinned. "He doesn't like to talk about it."

"Figures," I muttered.

"Nate, we want to talk," Hilda said.

I scoffed. "I have had _enough _of talking about myself. The more I talk, the more problems happen."

Red looked up so I could see his eyes. His stare was intense.

"Oh," I said. "Good point."

"Look, Nate, it's not healthy to bottle up all your troubles," Hilbert said. "We know all about your many accomplishments, your feats of heroism and awesomeness. It's a long list, dude."

"We don't really understand_ why," _Hilda pleaded. "This is all way too much for someone so young. You'll burn out someday from all the pressure."

"You guys don't even understand," I muttered.

"Really? You think we don't understand pressure?" Hilbert scoffed. "The fate of Unova was in our hands once, too. We had to befriend a legend and use its power to stop N and Ghetsis. I _think_ we know!"

"_No you don't!_ I—ALMOST—DIED!" I shouted. "Ghetsis ordered Kyurem to _attack me! _If N hadn't saved me at the last second, I could've—I would've—" I clenched my hands into fists and stared at the ground.

The others were stunned into silence. Red was just stunned.

"Nate…" Hilda murmured. "I didn't know…"

"I thought N just, like, healed your Pokémon or something," Hilbert said quietly.

I tried to continue, but my voice was shaky. "Ghetsis just _said _that he was going to freeze me, so I could watch his domination of Unova or something. But Glaciate's icicles were sharp, and they were—they were just so _close_." I squeezed my eyes shut, controlling my breathing. After a moment, I kept on. "Later, I researched the effects of freezing on the human body. It's not like it is on TV. It's not even like its effect on Pokémon. It's harmful. I really was in mortal danger." I looked up at them, hoping my eyes weren't watering. They probably were. Who am I kidding, they _definitely _were.

Hilbert and Hilda looked at each other. Red's eyes were hidden.

"Life… is too short," I said, struggling to keep my voice normal. "That could've been it for me. I hadn't done _anything _I wanted to do. Even in all this time since then, I _still_ haven't completed anything. The Battle Subway isn't done, I keep getting foiled at the PWT, Pokéstar Studios is _still _making movies for me, and geez, this stupid thing…" I tapped my Pokédex. "There are just too many Pokémon. It's not—it can't be possible."

"Nate, it's been _one month _since Ghetsis," Hilbert insisted. "Most people haven't fulfilled all their dreams until they _retire."_

"My mother never did," I said. "She still wishes she was out there, working in Pokémon Centers. She never experienced the world before meeting my dad. That's why. She tries to live vicariously through me. What if something happens that puts all my plans on hold? What if I never get to do any of this because of something stupid?"

That shut them up. Hilda glanced away, then back at me. "Nate, what's with the girls?"

"Ugh." I waved it away. "That's—It's too late for that. I lost all of them."

"That's not what I meant," Hilda continued.

I didn't meet her eye. "I… couldn't decide between them."

"Sure you could," said Hilbert. "Wasn't the last straw when the pink-haired girl left you? You picked _her."_

I recoiled. "Geez, were you guys _stalking _me?!"

Hilbert scratched his head, grinning. "Actually, we were going to just talk to you there, but that fiasco happened, so we followed you here instead."

"Fiasco. Hmph." I scowled. "Fine. I did. I picked Yancy. I picked Yancy a long time ago."

"Then why go through all that trouble?" Hilbert asked. "You shot yourself in the foot with that."

"I couldn't stand—it's like, I can't just—I can't—" I pulled at my hair. "Argh, this so _frustrating! _I can't explain it!"

"Then let me try," Hilda said soothingly. "You thought you had a chance with any of them… so giving up on even one would be like failing?"

I took a page out of Red's book and hid my eyes under my visor.

We all sat quietly for a moment. I wasn't sure how this conversation would progress now.

"I have something to say."

Hilbert, Hilda and I all turned, surprised, to Red.

"Must be important," Hilbert muttered in awe.

Red leaned forward, and adjusted his hat so we could see his eyes. He held a commanding presence. "Nate. Several years ago, I started on my Pokémon journey in the Kanto region at eleven years old. At the same time, Team Rocket was gaining power, trying to retrieve the Master Ball so they could capture Mewtwo. Through sheer luck, I was able to battle my way through their ranks and defeat their leader, Giovanni."

"The Gym Leader, Giovanni?" I said skeptically. "Why is he allowed to participate in—?"

Red stared intensely at me. "Please let me finish."

"Sorry."

Red continued. "I did all of it by myself. I had no help whatsoever. Even my rival, Blue, would hinder me more than help me."

"So you're saying… my problems don't compare to yours?" I asked.

"No. As risky as it was fighting through Team Rocket's headquarters, my life was never truly in immediate danger." His eyes shifted away. "But I was alone. I had no friends, no allies, nothing, but my Pokémon and me." He looked at me again. "I was always a quiet kid. But after that, I almost never spoke. Ever. Even after winning the Pokémon League, it wasn't enough. Even after completing my Pokédex, it wasn't enough. Even after training on Mt. Silver for two years, it wasn't enough. Nothing was _ever _enough."

I shivered. Red was a truly intimidating person. "E-Enough for what?"

"I didn't know," Red admitted. "If I knew, I wouldn't have spent all that time alone, looking for that answer. It wasn't until I finally met another trainer who could best me, there on the summit of Mt. Silver, that I was finally able to call it quits and go home. I hadn't spoken to my mother in two years."

Hilbert and Hilda coughed, looking away.

"What I'm saying, Nate, is that you need to find peace," said Red. "It's not what you think it is, whatever that may be. It's not one-hundred-percent completion. It's something plainer. Something fundamental."

I frowned thoughtfully.

Red leaned back, hiding his eyes again. "The great Red has spoken," said Hilbert, with a chuckle.

I stared at my hands. "I know," I whispered. I stood. "I know what it is."

Hilbert and Hilda looked at each other, then at me. Hilda smiled. "Well, good!"

"I have to go," I said. "I'll see you guys in the Pokémon World Tournament, right?"

"Nah," Hilbert said. "Hilda and I were going to travel the world some more."

I looked at Red. He nodded at me, a small smile on his lips.

"Well then… I guess I'll see you when I see you," I said. I started running.

I stopped at the door. "Visit Nuvema Town before you go!" I called.

Hilbert and Hilda blinked.

I grinned and left.

* * *

Braviary alighted in the street, and I dismounted and recalled the Pokémon.

I took a deep breath and started walking toward the Battle Subway. I hesitated, thought for a moment, and turned toward the Ferris wheel instead.

As expected, as I approached, I saw Persephone moping around the Ferris wheel. "Hey," I called. "Persephone."

She looked at me and scowled. "Ugh. I don't want to talk to you, Nate. Unless," her eyes lit up, "unless you dumped those other girls for me?"

"No," I said. "Well, uh, kinda, but that's not why I'm here."

"Oh."

I smiled wanly. "Persephone, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have led you on like that. I never really… I didn't consider how _you _felt."

She looked at her feet. "Okay…"

"So I'm letting you off the, uh, proverbial hook," I said. "I'll be clear with you from now on."

"So, um, you _don't _like me," she said, twiddling her thumbs.

"Not like _that,"_ I said. "But if you ever want a rematch, I'll battle you."

Persephone nodded, and wiped away a tear. "Okay."

I nodded and left.

I entered the Battle Subway and walked to the Multi Train. Sure enough, Rosa was there, sitting on a bench.

"Hey, Rosa," I said.

She noticed me, looking me up and down with disdain. "Nate." She looked away.

I sat next to her. "Waiting for a partner?"

She sighed. "No. I'm just sitting."

"Sarcasm…?"

She looked at me. "No, actually."

"Oh." I turned toward her seriously. "Rosa, I want to be honest with you," I said. "I want to explain myself."

She frowned. After a moment, she nodded.

So I told her everything, in excruciating detail. I told her about Pokéstar, about the Pokédex, about being the Champion, about Team Plasma, and about Isabella and Yancy and Persephone. And all the other stuff, too.

"And that's the truth," I said. "That's everything."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Hm." Then, she reached into her bag and pulled out a Pokédex, handing it to me.

"You have a Pokédex?" I asked. It was dusty from disuse. "Why…?"

"A year ago, back when I still lived in Aspertia City, I got my first Pokémon from Professor Juniper," Rosa said. "I went on a journey, doing everything there was to do, experiencing everything I could." She pulled out her Trainer Card, showing me all eight badges pinned to the back. "I acted in Pokéstar Studios. I challenged the Battle Subway. I even gave completing the Pokédex a try. I didn't get very far, as you can see."

"Uh-huh," I said, scrolling through the list. Fewer than a hundred Pokémon were registered. "So… why'd you stop?"

"Well, after beating Elesa, I met this guy, and we kinda hit it off. As I challenged the rest of the gyms, I'd call him every now and then, and we'd talk."

"Lemme guess—this was Curtis?"

Rosa touched her nose. "Bingo. Well, after I beat the eighth gym, I decided to take a break before tackling Victory Road. I tried calling Curtis, but he was working in another region that week. Turns out his stage name was Christoph, and he was actually some famous TV personality."

My mouth was agape. He was practically a male Yancy. "I've watched his show before!"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure. Anyway, it was then I realized that Curtis was someone I hated. He was my dad."

I was at a loss for words.

"And then I realized that I was the same. I hadn't seen my mother in months," Rosa said. "We were no different; my dad, Curtis, and me. All selfishly pursuing our own dreams, without regard for others. So I gave up my Pokémon journey; I gave up on the Pokédex. I came home, and I dedicated myself to mastering the Battle Subway. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but I stand by it."

I processed all this. "You… were… me?"

'_Rosa is your "mirror."'_

How right you were, Isabella.

"I suppose so," Rosa said. "But you've taken it a step beyond, I think." She looked me in the eye. "You need to make things right with this Isabella girl."

"You're right," I said. "And what about you?"

She took a deep breath, looking up. "We live in a world where self-actualization is only up to the individual. I'll find something worth dreaming. In the meantime…" She looked back at me and grinned. "I expect you to come back so we can knock this train out, together."

I grinned. "You can bet on it." I stood up. "See you around, Rosa."

She smiled. "Later."

I walked out, feeling… lighter. Walking on air, one might say. A surreal feeling, but a good one.

I called on my Braviary, and we started flying again.

* * *

"Nate?" Isabella crossed her arms uncomfortably as she approached the hill. "You called?"

I smiled in greeting, and lifted a Casteliacone of friendship toward her. "Hey."

She didn't accept. "What do you want?" she asked.

My face fell a little. "I wanted to apologize," I said. "I had no right to blame you for anything. You've been nothing but supportive, and a good friend."

She looked down. "Ah… Thanks." She looked at me. "I'm sorry, too."

"For what?"

"I don't know, but I feel _terrible _about it."

We both laughed. She accepted the cone and sat down. "So," she said, "is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Yes," I said, and I told her everything. She already knew most of it, but it was all important.

Isabella processed everything for a moment. "That's an amazing story, Nate."

I shrugged mock-arrogantly. "Yeah, I'll probably make a video game out of it. Red got one, and that's why Kanto is famous."

"Hehehe, so it's Unova's turn now, huh?" she chuckled.

"I dunno, though," I said. "Game Freak supposedly took some serious liberties from the truth with _Pokémon Red Version. _And Pokémon training? _Extremely _simplified."

"Makes it more fun that way," Isabella noted.

"Eh, well."

She licked her ice cream cone. "So, what would it be called?"

"Dunno. _Pokémon Nate Version?"_

We talked for a long time. Hours. Far longer than we'd talked the past times. It was already late afternoon, and we kept talking long after the sun had set. Until, finally:

"So, are you going to redo the Multi Train with Rosa?" Isabella asked.

"Yeah," I said, "someday. It's just, well…" I waved it away. "Never mind."

"No, no, tell me," she insisted.

"It's that… the Battle Subway is just about the most depressing thing ever."

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. She'd finished her cone forever ago, but there was still ice cream on her fingers, and she got some on her sleeve— "That's quite the turnaround."

"Well, just think about it," I said quietly. "The various trains travel all across the region. You pick up people from everywhere: Accumula, Icirrus, Lentimas, Striaton, you name it. You meet all these people, learn of their troubles, and then they're gone. You see people at their worst, and—and I was one of them."

There was a long, poignant pause.

Isabella looked away quietly. "I see."

"But not anymore," I said, standing up and shouldering my bag. "I have to be somewhere, Isabella. I'll call you, alright?"

She smiled. "Absolutely."

* * *

I arrived at my last stop. At least, my last one for a while.

I knocked on the door. "It's open," someone inside said.

I opened the door and took a step in.

She looked over her shoulder. "Nate?" she said, surprised.

Emotions welled up in me. I smiled a little bit, but couldn't speak. My eyes teared up. "H-Hey…"

She walked over and hugged me, closing her eyes and smiling.

"I'm home, Mom," I choked out.

She took a gasping, tear-filled breath. "I love you, Nate," she whispered in my ear.

"I love you, too."

* * *

_Epilogue tomorrow_


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue: **Brycen-Man Strikes Back Harder**

* * *

"_That's what you think, Brycen-Man!"_ said the Lucario Kid.

I chuckled a little bit at my performance. I tossed some popcorn in my mouth as I watched the reactions of the other people in the theater. It was dark in there, but if I squinted, I had a heck of a time.

"_That's it, Lucario! Use Counter!"_

The moviegoers gasped at the special effects. The epic battle between the Lucario Kid and Brycen-Man took to the sky.

I stifled my laughter with popcorn.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a girl whispered.

"Hm? No, go ahead," I said.

She sat next to me.

"_Mwahaha!" _Brycen-Man and the Lucario Kid shot off into space. _"This is as far as my Pokémon will go… Let us decide our fate, Lucario Kid!"_

"_Listen, Brycen-Man!" _rebutted the Lucario Kid. _"You cannot go through with your evil plans! Join me, and we can use your powers for good!"_

"_What?!" _Brycen-Man spat. Brycen's improvisation impressed me. _"That's insane! Why would I, the greatest evil mastermind in the universe, join you, a puny kid?!"_

"_Because!" _the Lucario Kid cried. I'd injected all my acting talent into this scene. _"That's reality! Nothing really makes sense, but in the end, doesn't it all give you a good feeling?!"_

The girl leaned over next to me. "That was a great line," she whispered.

I looked at her. "Wha—Yancy?!" I whispered back.

Yancy smiled, satisfied, and sat back to continue watching the movie.

I thought about this for a moment, then I shrugged and kept watching.

I smiled, content.

* * *

-END-

* * *

_If you have any opinions, or any questions, or you want to point out a plot hole or a typo, or tell me my face is stupid, or whatever, leave a review._

_This has been fun._

_Might post an Afterword sometime._


	7. Q&A

**Author Q&amp;A/Afterword**

* * *

**Q: So is this Black 2 or White 2 version? They're kinda separate canons…**

A: I tried to keep the version vague, but I guess I gave myself away in Chapter 4.

You can't find Rufflet in Black 2, but you can in White 2.

* * *

**Q: Why on earth is the Braviary named Texas?**

A: When I played White 2, I named my Braviary 'Texas,' because it's an awesome name. I wanted this to be Nate's nickname for it, too. But Texas is a real-world location, so I wasn't sure if that would make sense in-universe.

I didn't intend to make a statement arguing the point, but: Lt. Surge's title is 'The Lightning American,' even in the PWT in the very same game. Also, people speak 'English' and 'Japanese' and 'French,' so…

The actual impetus for this was Yancy's argument with Nate in Chapter 4. She was originally going to say (in regards to the **B**attle **S**ubway):

"I can think of something else using those initials! Pardon my French!"

I was like, 'wait a minute,' and named Braviary at the last minute.

(And I removed that line, 'cause it's clunky and a little out of character. Plus my whole no-swearing policy in this story.)

So that's why Texas's name is what it is, and why it appears suddenly in Chapter 4. It's also the first time he directly addresses his Braviary (explaining its suddenness), and I didn't want to change every previous reference to Braviary to 'Texas,' since that's just needlessly confusing.

* * *

**Q: Are Isabella and Persephone OCs?**

A: Nope. They are both actual trainers in Pokémon Black 2/White 2. Persephone is a random trainer you can have a Ferris wheel date with. Isabella acts opposite you in Pokéstar Studio's _Love and Battles 3 _(but not the first two installments).

Persephone had a personality to work with (as seen in this story), but I got to make one up for Isabella, since we'd only seen her act, not be real.

* * *

**Q: Was there anything you'd written up that didn't make it to the final draft?**

A: Nope. It was all perfectly perfect in my head from the beginning. /lie

I had this excerpt in the middle of Chapter 3 at first, instead of Rosa bringing up Curtis (right after Nate says "Teams. Battling. Yes."). It didn't make it because it put Nate in too good of a mood, which would've conflicted with the scene with Isabella afterwards.

* "Do you watch movies, Rosa?" I asked.

* "Not really."

* "Well, there's this one series called _Love and Battles," _I explained.

* "Oh, geez…"

* "No, no! I'm just saying, in those movies, battles are used as metaphors. The way the battle goes parallels the dialogue between the characters. Chemistry. Actions and words coming together."

* Rosa seemed a little impressed. "That's pretty neat."

* "Because it's _realistic," _I said. "That's how real Pokémon battles are, or are supposed to be, at least. We need to get along in order to win."

* "Yeah… Yeah, you're right."

* "That means I need to get over myself, and you need to stop taking charge. We're equals in battle."

* Rosa nodded. "Okay."

Would've been way too epiphanic for Nate, especially since this was _before _his darkest hour.

Another one: there would've been a POV change at one point, where it would've switched to Isabella briefly. She would've seen Nate getting on his Braviary from a distance, and put the pieces together from there. This didn't make it because I simply couldn't find a place to put it, so I made her piece it together by talking to Nate instead, which is how most things are figured out in this story.

I kind of intended to make more mention of Nate EV training his Pokémon, but it wouldn't snugly fit anywhere. I was EV training my Terrakion, Cresselia, and shiny Dragonite at the time (for the PWT), so it would've been topical, but it wouldn't have worked out.

* * *

**Q: [X] was stupid and I didn't like it.**

A: _Your _[x] is stupid.

* * *

**Q: How long did this take to write?**

A: Two, three weeks? It was totally complete before I uploaded anything. I like cliffhangers.

Also, uploading each chapter was something to look forward to every week. I was having a rough time back in February (of 2015, if you're from the future), and this was helpful for me.

* * *

**Q: M/F?**

A: M.

* * *

**Q: What inspirations did you have for this?**

A: I was just playing the game, particularly the Dropped Item quest, when I started fleshing out Yancy's and Nate's personalities in my head. Then I thought about how Nate does practically everything there is to do, and I thought, that's a lot for a kid/teenager of unspecified age. The plot started falling in place as I wrote.

Regarding his mother, I got that thought from how, despite all the many things you can talk about with Yancy or Cheren, you can only talk about your location to your mother, and your 'I want to talk' option boils down to her saying how wonderful it is that Pokémon have different Natures. I found it a lonely idea, but great for drama.

In the Dropped Item quest, the player uses the Xtransceiver all the time, and at about the same time as the idea of this story was conceived in my head, I thought of how one might pronounce Xtransceiver, and thus that running gag was born. I did search it up, and according to Bulbapedia, it is indeed pronounced 'Cross-transceiver.' To each their own, though.

I had to search for a long while to find the quotes for the Subway Trainers they face, and then to find the proper quote I wanted. I'd always assumed the trainer names were randomized on the Battle Subway, but I was happy to learn they weren't, so I could freely say 'Parasol Lady Leone says this line.' Google it, I did my homework for this story.

As for Nate's near-death experience, think about it. Not counting Lysandre, the only Pokémon villain (in the games' canon) to directly threaten the player is Ghetsis. That's pretty messed up, and this kid/teenager of unspecified age is probably going to be a little affected by it. That occurred to me long after I'd completed the main campaign, but I got a sort of sadistic glee out of the revelation. :/

* * *

**Q: But wait, regarding Ghetsis's attack on the player…**

A: Yes, I know. Ghetsis implies that he only tried to attack the player to lure N out, but that slipped by Nate, and if N were there, he could've reminded Nate of that fact. But he wasn't.

* * *

**Q: So, Isabella's a lesbian, right?**

A: Um

* * *

**Q: Did you always plan for the story to be what it was?**

A: Basically, yes. It was intended to be a look into Nate's psyche, revealed through his interactions with Isabella. The first line I thought of for the story was "Is Unova classist?"

When I started, I wasn't sure if I wanted it to be a short story or longer one. I quickly realized that short would be better for a number of reasons. First, a short story is easier to manage. I can keep things to the point, it's easier to remember everything that's happened (so I don't forget, for example, a tidbit of foreshadowing I might've left at the beginning), and it's concise and easy to read. Secondly, I am notoriously lazy, and I tend to lose interest in projects as suddenly as I want to start one, and the last time I ever finished a written work was _six years ago. _I really needed to be able to finish something: it boosted my confidence and made me happier. If you're like me, I suggest doing something similar: just write a short story, no longer than five chapters, just to do it. It's cathartic, trust me.

There were a few other details I had to work out:

Originally, it was going to be _much _more Seinfeldian, with Nate's and Isabella's conversations stretching out forever and being much more tangential to the plot. It would've been slow-paced, a little less dramatic, and much more subtle. This all changed when I decided on the length of the story, and in hindsight, it's for the better. That would've _wrecked _the pacing, and it would've been boring and not fun to both write and read.

Originally, Nate was the optimist and Isabella was the pessimist. Thus, Nate was more like me. It was a little unintentional, but in the end I reversed those stances, which really makes more sense.

* * *

**Q: Any little details that are easy to miss?**

A: I sprinkled clues hinting at how much Nate had really done in Unova. They pass by Join Avenue in Chapter 2 (which goes otherwise unmentioned), which Nate had almost certainly completed, and I reference Benga's battle theme in Chapter 3, implying Nate had completed the White Treehollow/Black Tower and battled him.

There's little dialogue foreshadowing I tossed here and there. For example, Nate says he hadn't really spoken to Cheren since—and then he interrupts himself. He was going to say 'since I fought Team Plasma' (or whatever you interpreted he was about to say, I guess), but he was repressing the memory.

* * *

**Q: How on earth does a Klingklang survive two Superpowers from a Braviary?**

A: Even with the Attack drop from the first Superpower, there's no way the Klingklang would survive, since the first is almost guaranteed to knock it into mid-yellow HP. I can only offer that maybe Texas had a –Atk Nature with 0 EVs in that stat? Or maybe he's sub-Lv. 50? Nate never said he EV trained his Braviary, he only mentioned Terrakion and implied Cresselia.

* * *

**Q: Why does Nate ask out Isabella at the beginning, if he'd chosen Yancy already?**

A: Nate saw an opportunity and took the chance. He's a completionist, and a cute, flirty girl was standing right in front of him; if he hadn't, he would've felt like he'd squandered the opportunity. He had some kind of compulsion for this sort of thing that overrode his real feelings.

* * *

**Q: So, **_**Pokémon Red Version?**_

A: It's the sort of thing I couldn't resist. After all, Red is indeed the 'living legend,' and Game Freak exists in the Pokémon world (their HQ is in Castelia), so it's not too much of a stretch to think that _Red Version _could be an in-universe game, too.

Really, it would probably be called, say, _Red: The Game _or something,since Pokémon is such a mundane term in their world, but _Pokémon Red Version _is recognizable and works for the joke.

(Maybe: **Red Strikes Back Harder**?)

* * *

**Q: I don't like the Epilogue.**

A: It's as canon to _Love and Battles _as you want it to be.

* * *

**Q: Goodness gracious, is Isabella gay or not?!**

A: Watch your tone. No I will _not _pardon your French.

Look. There's a lot of detail in this story. I try not to hold the reader's hand, and the reader can pretty easily figure out those details from context clues I've given. You are not an idiot, so I know you can answer that question—and many other similar questions—by yourself.

* * *

If you have any other thoughts, questions or concerns, I'd be happy to tack them onto this here afterword. As it is, though, this is the end for _Love and Battles! _Thanks for your time, and please, leave a review. Criticism is the only thing a writer needs.

* * *

**Q: Is the canon ship for this story Nate x Yancy?**

A: My original intent was for there to be no romantic resolution whatsoever. The story would end on an ambiguous note for all his love interests, with the real resolution being Nate's reconciliation with his mother.

Then, I wrote Chapter 4. After their Ferris wheel 'date' thing, I kinda fell in love with Yancy's character. She was just so freaking adorable. So, I jumped on board that quasi-canon ship.

That's why the Epilogue happened, and why I have that question above regarding its... canon-ness. I wasn't sure if including the Epilogue (as it is) would be a great idea, since really, the story is over when Nate reconciles with his mother and can move on, and him actually winning a girl over would undermine that.

But, an epilogue, by definition, is what happens after the plot is wrapped up, and Yancy was the only one Nate hadn't made up with yet. So, I left in a little ship tease, but nothing further. Whether Nate ends up with Yancy, or Rosa, or whoever, is still up in the air.

I _can _guarantee he doesn't end up with Persephone, though. Wait no I can't

* * *

**Q: So, what's up with Hilbert and Hilda?**

A: Wow, I can't believe I missed this one. Kind of an elephant in the room. So, Hilbert and Hilda! They're important.

In a similar vein to the very first question (Black 2 or White 2?), I wanted to keep it vague which player character was the 'canon' one from Black/White, since the sequels only ever refer to them as 'that trainer,' 'that kid from two years ago,' etc. Naturally, the only way to go was by making _both _of them the canon trainer. And I am only being half-sarcastic about the previous sentence: it was immensely helpful for there to be three people for Nate to talk to, plus it was pretty fun to write for two people instead of one. I especially amused myself when writing Hilbert's dialogue.

**Q: So what about-?**

I'm not done. Please hold all questions 'til the end of the lecture.

**Sorry.**

I can give you no answers about Hilbert and Hilda's relationship. Are they siblings? Friends? Neighbors? Lovers? Figments of a distraught Nate's imagination? Who knows! Not me. Maybe you do, I don't know.

I had to rewrite the ending to that scene several times to maximize the ambiguity. I kept wording it in such a way that it would lend credence toward any one of those theories, such as by implying that they should pay a visit to 'your parents' (plural) or 'your mother' (singular), before I finally just settled on 'Visit Nuvema town!'

That worked nicely. No answers for the reader. High-five, past me! *Slap*

**Q: You son of a**—


End file.
